The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 18 December 2020
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1:08:43
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MP4
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535.9 MB
Situation in Mozambique
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that the UN and partners today launched an appeal for USD 254 million to provide urgently needed assistance and protection to 1.1 million people affected by violence, conflict and insecurity in Cabo Delgado and neighbouring provinces of Mozambique in 2021. The crisis in Cabo Delgado had rapidly escalated in 2020, with attacks and fighting forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes every month. Nearly 530,000 people were now internally displaced in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa.
Conflict and displacement were severely affecting already overstretched essential services, said Mr. Laerke. More than 90 per cent of the displaced people were living with relatives or friends, whose already scarce resources were being further strained. Many areas hosting displaced people would flood in the upcoming rainy season. Local authorities and the humanitarian community were running against the clock to set up new settlement areas with adequate conditions to relocate displaced people. The humanitarian community counted on the support of the international community to provide timely funding to ensure that people fleeing violence can access much-needed relief.
The abridged 2021 Mozambique Humanitarian Response Plan can be read here.
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that UNHCR was deeply concerned over the rising number of civilians displaced in the northern parts of Mozambique, as attacks by non-state armed groups continued to rage in Cabo Delgado province. More than 530,000 people were now displaced in Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Zambezia and Niassa provinces, according to official estimates, as numbers continued to increase daily.
More than 2,000 people had been killed since the conflict started in 2017. Houses had been looted and burned, families separated and health centres and schools seriously damaged. Access to agricultural land had been blocked and other economic activities curtailed. There was serious indication that this crisis could spread beyond the country’s borders. Access to some areas in Cabo Delgado remained limited due to violence, insecurity and the rainy season, with certain communities being cut off from basic services for months. UNHCR’s assistance for displaced populations in support of the Government of Mozambique, included shelter materials, core relief items such as tarpaulins, sleeping mats, blankets, kitchen sets, buckets, jerry cans and solar lamps.
UNHCR’s press note is here.
Tomson Phiri, for the World Food Programme (WFP), said the WFP was alarmed with the worsening humanitarian crisis in Mozambique. The food security situation was quite dire, with high levels of hunger and malnutrition rates. There had been disruption of markets, the supply was dwindling, and the prices were skyrocketing. WFP staff who had recently traveled to the affected areas had found severely malnourished children on the brink. Without an urgent and sustained access and assistance, this situation could turn into a major humanitarian disaster. WFP thus renewed its call for unhindered access to all areas; the plan was to reach 750,000 people with assistance, for which WFP required USD 9.75 million on a monthly basis to provide assistance. In other words, USD 117 million was required to provide support for the next 12 months. In the absence of enough funding, food supplies would be compromised, leading to a reduction in rations or potential suspension of food distributions.
Mr. Baloch, responding to questions, did not provide the name of the non-state armed groups attacking civilians. Since the beginning of this year, the number of attacks had significantly increased, he said. Responding to other questions, Mr. Laerke explained that international assistance was sought and provided when a national government was unable to meet the needs of its population.
Cyclone victims in Somalia
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), stated that UNHCR had rushed humanitarian assistance to thousands of people in Somalia’s Puntland region impacted by Cyclone Gati, the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the east African country. Gati had made landfall on 22 November in Puntland’s Bari region, bringing around two-years of rainfall in a just a few days and affecting over 180,000 people, of which some 42,000 had been displaced from their homes.
In Somalia, Cyclone Gati was resulting in a humanitarian emergency on top of existing emergencies in a country grappling with conflict, the coronavirus pandemic and desert locusts, making this an exceptionally difficult year for those displaced in Somalia. Some 2.6 million people were currently displaced inside Somalia, mainly due to conflict, but increasingly due to climate-related shocks, such as severe droughts and flooding.
Full press briefing note can be read here.
Supplementary COVID-19 appeal to meet refugee needs in 2021
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), informed that UNHCR had released today its supplementary appeal for 2021 COVID response seeking an additional USD 455 million. While most of the pandemic-related activities amounting to USD 477 million had been already mainstreamed and included in UNHCR’s 2021 Global Appeal totaling USD 8.616 billion, the supplementary COVID-19 response released today focused on exceptional socioeconomic and protection impacts related to COVID-19 as millions of refugees, internally displaced and stateless people fell into conditions of extreme hardship.
More information is available here.
In a response to a question, Mr. Baloch said that the funding was needed to help national systems assist refugees and displaced populations. Refugees’ livelihoods in many locations had been wiped out as the scope for daily work dramatically narrowed. Those refugees needed support.
Refugees in Trinidad and Tobago
Responding to a question, Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that UNHCR had already urged Trinidad and Tobago to respect its international obligations, including the rule of non-refoulement.
Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), added that the pathways for admission and stay should be consistent with international human rights law and humanitarian considerations and include access to due process and procedural safeguards.
Lese-majesté charges against Thai activists
Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the OHCHR was deeply troubled by the move by Thai authorities to charge at least 35 protesters in recent weeks, including a 16-year-old student protester, under Article 112 – the lèse-majesté provision of Thailand’s criminal code.
A number of UN human rights mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Committee, which oversees implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), had repeatedly called on Thailand to bring this law in line with the country’s international obligations. It was extremely disappointing that after a period of two years without any cases, there was now a large number of cases, and, shockingly, now also against a minor.
OHCHR called on the Government of Thailand to stop the repeated use of such serious criminal charges against individuals for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. OHCHR was also urging the Government to amend the lèse-majesté law and bring it into line with Article 19 of the ICCPR on the right to freedom of expression.
OHCHR briefing note is available here.
In a response to a question, Ms. Shamdasani specified that the last time someone had been convicted under this law had been in 2017. It was a subject over which the UN Human Rights Committee had already expressed concerns. By ratifying the ICCPR, Thailand was under obligation to respect and implement the Covenant’s provisions.
International Migrants Day
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), read parts of the UN Secretary-General’s message, which had been shared with the media. During the Covid-19 pandemic, millions upon millions of people had experienced the pain of separation from friends and family, the uncertainty of employment and the need to adapt to a new and unfamiliar reality. These were emotions felt by migrants around the world every day, recalled the Secretary-General, who added that migrants should remain central to our recovery.
Paul Dillon, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), stated that on this day we should be marking the significant contributions migrants had made keeping us safe during this pandemic and noting the many challenges they themselves faced, including mounting xenophobia, the lack of access to services, increased poverty, arbitrary detention and the phenomenon of at least three million people stranded, unable to get home.
As of 17 December, the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project had recorded 3,174 deaths on migratory routes worldwide this year, compared to 5,327 in 2019. While the overall number of people known to have lost their lives in 2020 was lower than previous years, some routes had seen an increase in fatalities: most notably, at least 593 people had died en route to Spain’s Canary Islands thus far, compared to 210 recorded in 2019 and 45 in 2018.
The decrease in recorded migrant deaths was not necessarily an indication that the number of lives lost had truly dropped in 2020 as COVID-19 also challenged the ability both to collate data on deaths during migration and monitor specific routes. Nowhere was this more evident than in the phenomena of invisible shipwrecks.
Geneva announcements
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the UN Information Service (UNIS), informed that the UN Secretary-General had just delivered a speech to the German Bundestag, in which he praised Germany’s support of multilateralism and its contribution in key areas such as battling the Covid-19 pandemic, advancing global peace and security, and tackling the climate emergency. His speech had been shared with the journalists.
The statement by the Secretary-General on the death of the former Swiss President Flavio Cotti, a fervent supporter of multilateralism, had also been shared with the media.
Mr. LeBlanc also informed that the flags were flying at half-mast at the Palais des Nations in honor of the deceased Prime Minister of Eswatini, His Excellency Ambrose Dlamini.
Today, at 2 p.m., there would be a GAVI briefing on COVAX with the Director-General of the World Health Organization as one of the speakers.
Finally, on the occasion of today’s International Migrants Day, at 5:30 p.m. there would be a joint WHO briefing with the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Mr. LeBlanc finally informed that today was also Arabic Language Day.
Teleprompter
All right.
[Other language spoken]
Good morning, everyone.
Welcome to this briefing of Friday, 18th of December.
Before we get into the agenda, I just have a couple of announcements.
First of all, you will have received just this morning, after he gave his address to the Bundestag, the remarks of the Secretary General, who, as you know, is in Berlin today.
He has just spoken at the Parliament of the Bundestag and praised the Germany's role for its support on multilateralism and especially for its tremendous support in three areas, battling the pandemic, advancing global peace and security and tackling the climate emergency.
You have the full remarks that we have just distributed a few minutes ago.
Also, you will have seen the statement of the Secretary General, which came out early, very early this morning, on the death of Flavio Kotti.
The Secretary General is deeply saddened by the death of Flavio Kotti, a former President of the Swiss Confederation.
He said Mr Kotti had LED a meaningful life dedicated to public service, which benefited not only the citizens of Switzerland, but those across Europe and elsewhere.
He was a strong believer and staunch advocate of multilateralism and helped to lead Switzerland into the United Nations, with Geneva continuing to serve as a beacon of the international system.
The Secretary General has conveyed his condolences to Mr Kotti's family, the people and government of Switzerland.
And on that, let's go into our agenda.
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Also just a reminder that you may have noticed today that the UN flag has been lowered to half mast and at UN headquarters, but also here in Geneva.
And this is to a mark of respect for the passing of His Excellency Mr Ambrose Mandevulo Lamini, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Ezvatini.
And just a reminder from our colleagues at the World Health Organisation that they will have a couple of briefings today.
One at 2:00 PM, a GAVI briefing on Kovacs with the WHODG as one of the speakers.
And also then at 5:30 PM AWHO briefing with the Director General of the International Organisation for Migrations.
So on that, let's get into the first topic, Mozambique.
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This is about the launch today of the Humanitarian Response Plan from Mozambique, and he is joined by Thompson Fiery from the World Food Programme and Baba Balash online from the Refugee Agency.
[Other language spoken]
Yes, thank you very much, Royal.
Good morning, everyone.
The United Nations and our partners are today launching an appeal for $254,000,000 to provide urgently needed assistance.
Sorry, it just switched off.
Let me try from the top again.
The United Nations and our partners are today launching an appeal for $254,000,000 to provide urgently needed assistance and protection to 1.1 million people affected by violence, conflict and insecurity in Cabo Delgado and neighbouring provinces of Mozambique next year.
The crisis in Kabul Delgado rapidly escalated in 2020, with attacks and fighting forcing 10s of thousands of people from their homes every month.
Nearly 530,000 people are now internally displaced in Kabul Delgado, Nampula and Niasa, almost five times the number registered some nine months ago in March.
People fleeing violence in Kabul Delgado have been exposed to severe violations and abusions and abusers, and we are especially concerned for the plight and of children and women.
Women and girls are at risk of abduction, gender based violence and exploitation, while boys are at risk of being killed or recruited by armed groups.
More than 90% of the displaced people are living with relatives or friends whose already scarce resources are being further strained.
Communities hosting the displaced people also need international support.
Many areas hosting the displaced people will flood in the upcoming rainy season.
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Local authorities and the humanitarian community in Mozambique are working against the clock to set up new settlement areas with adequate conditions to relocate the displaced people.
I have sent you the the press release and there's also a link to the abridged version of the full Humanitarian Response Plan for Mozambique 2021.
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Let's turn over to Thompson now.
Oh, you want to go with Baba first?
OK, We're going to go to Baba Baloch from the refugee agency and we'll close with Thompson.
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Real.
[Other language spoken]
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Happy Friday to all.
Thank you very much for raising our concerns on Mozambique as well.
Unit CR, the UN refugee agency is deeply concerned over the rising number of civilians displaced in the northern parts of Mozambique as attacks by known state armed groups continue to rage in Kaba Delgado province.
As mentioned, since March more than 400,000 people have been displaced, the figure now nearly 530,000.
As mentioned by Yens, during the last few days, attacks conducted by these armed groups have increased significantly in Palma, Nangade and Macomia districts.
Many people have been forced to move multiple times, and the situation of those affected by the conflict is worsening rapidly.
The majority of the affected families have sought refuge in the safer southern districts of Caba Delgado province where around 90% of those displaced are sheltered by the host communities.
As mentioned by Yes Yens, these host communities do need helps themselves as well.
The situation in Kaba Delgado is basically a protection of civilians crisis for more than 1/2 a million people displaced and being on the run with widespread reports of human rights abuses and disregard for international humanitarian law.
More than 2000 people have been killed since the conflict started in 2017.
In the violence, houses have been looted and burned, families separated, and health centres and schools seriously damaged.
Access to agricultural land has been blocked and other economic activities curtailed.
There's a serious indication that this crisis could spread beyond the country's borders if it goes unstopped.
Access to some areas in Caba Delgado remains limited due to the violence, insecurity and the rainy season as mentioned, with certain communities being cut off from the basic services for months.
I'll stop here.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much for that.
Thompson Fiery from the World Food Programme.
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The World Food Programme is alarmed with the deepening humanitarian crisis in Cabo Delgado, in Nampula and in Yasa province in northern Mozambique.
The food security situation is quite dire.
There are **** levels of hunger and malnutrition rates.
More than 900,000 people in Kabul, Delgado, in Yasa as well as in Nampula are now facing crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity.
IPC phases 3 and four.
There has been disruption of markets.
The agricultural season has also been disrupted and food prices are skyrocketing as supply is dwindling.
Of greatest concern are vulnerable groups, including severely acutely malnourished children, pregnant and nursing women who urgently need support as violence escalates.
WFP staff who recently travelled to affected areas in Kabul Delgado Nyasa in Nampula found malnourished children on the brink.
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It has to be noted it has the highest rates of chronic malnutrition in Mozambique, with more than half the children malnourished.
Without urgent and sustained access and assistance, the situation may turn into another major humanitarian disaster.
We fear the situation may even be worse in inaccessible areas such as Mosimboa, de Bruyer, Makomia, Muidumba and Kisanga where people may be trapped due to insecurity.
WFP renews its call for unhindered access to all areas in order to deliver life saving assistance despite the significant challenges that we are facing and the limited and diminishing access.
[Other language spoken]
About 500,000 people are people who have been displaced from Cabo Delgado and about 250,000 are people from the host community.
WFP requires $9.75 million on a monthly basis to provide assistance.
Approximately $117 million is required to provide support for the next 12 months.
In the absence of funding, food supplies will be compromised, leading to a reduction in rations or IT waste, potential suspension of food distributions.
The needs have been factored in into the larger humanitarian response plan that Jens spoke about earlier.
I will stop here.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you to the three of you for this, these, this briefing.
Are there any questions in the room?
No, I see we have some questions online.
Let's start with Peter Kenny.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for taking my question real.
I would like to ask are they Yens or Papa if we know who is perpetrating this violence?
Baba has spoken about non state actors.
We you know, we keep on hearing about groups perpetrating this these actions and now Baba has said that the violence threatens to over spill into neighbouring countries.
Is this an offshoot of Al Shabaab or, you know, do we have any indication of who is stirring up this violence that's causing such havoc in Cabo de Lada?
Thank you, Peter.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, Peter.
As far as I understand in terms of the identity of the groups who are after the civilians in the region, I, I don't have a name to give you.
But what is very clear is the impact of these attacks that as the groups have been classified by our colleagues that these are non state armed groups who are going after the civilians.
As mentioned, since 9:00 2017 now they have affected or displaced more than half a million people, numbers on the rise daily.
We have seen 2000 killings and a lot of other horrific things that these groups have done.
And indeed, the fear is if this goes unstopped and unchecked, this could spill over into other areas.
There have been some kind of identification of the groups in terms of what has been going on into Nigeria.
But it's very hard for us to say at this stage is I don't have any further details.
Yes, if you want to add anything, I'll stop here.
OK, Jens doesn't have anything to add, but I see Peter I think has maybe a follow up question.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Peter, you know this violence is not new, as you say, it's been going on since 2017 and we keep on hearing of these unarmed state actors and I'm, I'm just totally mystified as to why they cannot be identified in any way.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I don't have anything to add on that.
Just what I can kind of re bring back into the discussion is that since the beginning of this year, the number of attacks have significantly increased.
You see the number that we had earlier this year was 110,000 who were displaced.
Now we have almost crossed half 1,530,400 thousand people being displaced during this year.
It's a huge, huge number for for this region and also the impact on the civilian in terms of their own suffering.
Thank you very much for that.
Let's go to Nick coming, Bruce from the New York Times.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thanks very much.
Baba, you spoke about the the ****** of this spilling into neighbouring areas.
Could you just dig into that a little bit, elaborate What is the dynamic that suggests this could spill into neighbouring areas and which neighbouring areas you think look like being affected and whether indeed you're already seeing some spillover?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
In terms of our fears, I mean the fear is if the attacks are on, the increase could affect the region itself, the wider region.
It's very hard to speculate at this stage.
But what we are seeing is the increasing number of attacks and its impact on on on the civilian population.
And this has been just going non-stop this year.
We have seen increased number of attacks killing civilians dying in in the hands of of of of the groups as the attacks increase.
So this is really seen as a fair to the regional stability as well.
And that's why it's very important that this stops peace and rule of law is brought back to the region.
[Other language spoken]
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We have still have one more question from Buddy Huger from Phoenix TV.
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I'm sorry.
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I have a question to Thompson and Jens.
Yesterday I saw a news from UN News which announced UNICEF supporting emergency food ad for UK children.
And for you too.
Do you have any further reaction about and do you think that's necessary to help or to supporting any developed country further than our poor country in African or some some some African countries?
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, hi everybody.
I'm, I'm not sure I, I didn't hear who was supporting food for UNICEF.
How it's a, it's a news from yesterday from UN who said UNICEF supporting emergency food ad for UK children around $1 million.
[Other language spoken]
I think it's best that UNICEF answers that that question.
I don't know if my Rix is on the line since we're dealing with food.
Maybe Thompson, do you have anything to add on this or should we refer that more to UNICEF?
I would suggest we refer to UNICEF, but I suspect it has to do with the UK National Committee or something.
[Other language spoken]
We, we saw the, the news item and indeed, I think it's a, it's a UNICEF issue and I think they've provided all the, the details that they, they could provide in, in that, in that story.
But you might want to let me see if Marixi is online.
I yes, Marixi from UNICEF, I see you, you are here.
Do you have anything to add on that story?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Hi everybody.
Yes, this was, this was through our UK National Committee.
And Bodhi, I'm happy to send you details on that separately if you send me an e-mail, please.
[Other language spoken]
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Thank you very much.
I see Gabriela Sotomayor has her hand up.
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[Other language spoken]
Good morning, everyone.
I have a question coming back to the the case of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.
[Other language spoken]
For whom would The Who do you have this question for?
From the refugee.
For the refugee.
OK Baba is going to stay with us for another topic.
Maybe we can hold that question.
[Other language spoken]
Are there any other questions on the issue of Mozambique specifically?
If you have your hand up, I'll give you the floor.
Catherine Fionncon, is it on Mozambique and Gabriella will come back to you on that question.
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OK, Catherine, please go ahead.
[Other language spoken]
It's, it's related to in fact to the question of body, because I raised several times the question about the increasing problem of hunger in Western country.
And the answer given was always that it was not in the mandate of the agencies to take care of this kind of situation in developed countries.
So I would like Marixi, if you'd be kind enough to share your document with all of us and not exclusively with body.
And if, if any of you could, Marixi or Thompson could maybe answer about the fact.
Is there any disposition for you guys, I mean the agencies to help and support children of people that are in need of food in developed countries?
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I think Yen's has something to say on that.
[Other language spoken]
Just thank you for for, for that, Kathy.
It's, it's more a general point about how international humanitarian organisations work.
We work, of course, based on the core principle of humanity, which means that we will, to the best of our ability, address humanitarian needs wherever they are found, regardless of the name of the country or where they sit on the Human Development Index or anywhere.
However, when we as as Orchard coordinate international humanitarian assistance, it is typically and mostly upon request of the government or the authorities in that country.
So that is what you know, when we kick into into action, when there is a request, when the needs, and that typically happens when the needs that are that are on the ground exceeds the capacity of the government itself to respond to, that's when they ask for international assistance.
And that's that's when we all step up to support.
Yeah, I think that's very, very clear.
Thompson, do you have anything to add on that?
[Other language spoken]
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[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Jens and Thompson, for being with us this morning.
Baba Baloch, please stay with us.
We're going to go to your other topics.
So I think you have something on Somalia to begin with.
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Real indeed.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
On Somalia, UNICIA, the UN refugee agency, has rushed humanitarian assistance to thousands of people in Somalia's Puntland region impacted by Cyclone Gati.
This is the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the East African country.
Working with the World Food Programme and our other partners, UNICIA has airlifted supplies from Mogadishu to Busaso.
Ghati made landfall on 22nd of November in Puntland's Bari region, bringing around 2 years of rainfall in just a few days and affected over 180,000 people of which some 42,000 were displaced from their homes.
Over the last 3 1/2 decades, Somalia has experienced 15 tropical storms and cyclones together with flash floods.
Extreme weather events are part of a global pattern of stronger storms caused by climate change and warmer ocean temperatures.
In Somalia, Cyclone Ghati is resulting in a humanitarian emergency on top of existing emergencies in a country grappling with conflict, the coronavirus pandemic and desert locusts, making this an exceptionally difficult year for those displaced in Somalia.
Unicia will assist some 36,000 cyclone victims in the heart hit Barry region with relief items including mosquito net, solar lamps and other humanitarian supplies.
This emergency response follows an appeal by the Puntland regional government requesting humanitarian assistance.
The world's vulnerable face some of the worst effects of climate change, including food, water and land insecurity and disrupted services necessary for human health, livelihood, settlement and survival.
Invariably, among the most affected are older people, women, children and people with disabilities.
Some 2.6 million people are currently displaced inside Somalia, mainly due to conflict, but increasingly due to climate related shocks such as severe droughts and flooding.
I'll stop here.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Are there questions specifically on this, on this issue for Baba Gabriella, I note that your hand is up, so I assume it's still for the the other question.
So I'll just hold it until we finish with the other topics from Baba.
[Other language spoken]
So Baba, I understand that your agency is also releasing an additional COVID-19 appeal to meet exceptional refugee needs.
You want to brief us on that?
[Other language spoken]
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Real.
Today, Unisa, the UN refugee agency, released its supplementary appeal for 2021 COVID-19 response seeking an additional 455,000,000 U.S.
[Other language spoken]
While most of the pandemic related activities amounting to 477 million U.S.
dollars have already been mainstreamed and included in Unit CR2021 Global Appeal totalling to 8.6 billion U.S.
[Other language spoken]
The Supplementary COVID-19 Response release today focuses on exceptional socio economic and protection impacts related to COVID-19 as millions of refugees, internally displaced and stateless people fall into conditions of extreme hardships.
Monitoring carried out by unit CR since the onset of the pandemic paint a bleak picture of the well-being and protection of refugees and other people that we help with 74% of them now able to meet only half or less of their basic needs.
And 83% of these people that we monitored are engaging in one or more negative copying mechanisms to meet their basic needs.
There are some more details in in the note that has been shared.
I'll stop here.
[Other language spoken]
Are there any questions on this appeal?
I see Lisa, Lisa Schlein from Voice of America yes, good morning, real good morning.
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Morning OK on this, this COVID, COVID appeal it it it it's a little thin.
I mean, you're we're all affected by COVID and you have lots of refugees who and displaced who are affected.
How do you plan to spend this money or apportion it?
Or do you have any sort of a, you know, a ranking list of which, which areas are more important than others?
There, there are places like Yemen where we don't even know what the situation is and others and so forth.
So how I don't understand, how are you going to actually use this money?
To whom does it go and who gets left out?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
First, to begin with, this is kind of a reminder also not to forget refugees and displaced populations when plans are being put in.
We need this funding to help national systems to help refugees and displaced population, particularly in terms of the areas the response to these is.
Response to these needs is ranked in six priorities within this appeal and includes effort to reduce vulnerability through cash assistance, use of cash to help meet basic needs and facilities to access to services, protection of incomes and livelihoods through consumption, support to the most vulnerable and then other efforts and prevention in response to gender based violence.
In particular, strengthening availability, accessibility and the quality of GBV case management.
Also very important as we all know that the pandemic has also has a mental aspect.
So promotion of mental health and psychological well-being through training the first line responders.
It also has some areas, touches on some areas in terms of the communications and and engagement with with local communities.
Livelihoods have been the hardest hit and refugees and displaced being the bearing the brunt of it.
So it will also focus and also other health issues and education as well.
I'll stop here.
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Yes, right.
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Thank, thank you, Baba for that.
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I mean, can you be specific about where which areas concern you most in some African countries, I don't know something like that.
And is does any of your help require the sending in of supplies?
And I think you mentioned communication, so there's kind of information about how people should protect themselves.
But if you could sort of perhaps you have some ongoing activities now mention a few countries where you're particularly concerned.
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So the the monitoring we were mentioning there, I understand was done at least 1516 countries where we looked at the situation of the refugees and displaced and other people that we care for.
I remember till recently we have been talking about first the impact of COVID in general on host communities and refugees.
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Refugees rely on daily wages or daily labour or whatever they do in terms of economic activities.
In many locations they have been just wiped out as as markets close down, as the scope for daily work with restriction goes down.
So those desperate refugees need cash and in the displacement situation where refugees are in camps or settlements, take the example of the Rohingya in in Bangladesh.
There we need to step up support in terms of keeping the response, Unitarian response up to date in terms of requirements of basic things, water, soap, making sure that all the facilities are up to date, but also the response in case these populations have to be catered for, for a pandemic or help for a pandemic like coronavirus.
So the national responses are in there.
I can give you examples in in Iran as well where we have worked hand in hand with the the local authorities helping Afghan refugees.
If you look at the picture of the the in Sudan, eastern Sudan, where refugees from Ethiopia are recently arriving, it's a big challenge.
We have more than 51,000 refugees that have arrived in recent weeks far in scattered in the border areas.
It's also a challenge and an effort to make sure that they are safe from the COVID pandemic as well as their host communities.
[Other language spoken]
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Is this question about this appeal for Babar?
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I think we've had all the questions on the appeal.
Let's go to Gabriela, and then I'll come back to you, Emma.
All right.
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Please go ahead with your question on Venezuela.
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It's it's a kind of long question, but please bear with me.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
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So I was looking about A to be concise.
Yeah, Trinidad Tobago and I saw the immigration law that they have.
And in the in for example, they say that it's forbidden the entry for persons who are likely to become charges on public funds, habitual beggars on persons who practise prostitutes or homosexuals.
Also they say that they it's prohibited class persons who are idiots in embezzles.
This is I'm quoting the law persons suffering from dementia or insane persons.
And then in the deportation they say that also people with the physical the the defective or physical physically handicapped.
And then they say that on deportations that persons who are from these classes can be deported or something like that.
So what is your com?
What are your comments on this kind of law that it's like from the 18th century or something like that?
And would you encourage the government of Trinidad and Tobago to review that kind of law?
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Dear Gabriella, if I can answer your question in terms of you mentioned deportations, I, I still have to check if if the law you're mentioning was an asylum law.
But in terms of the the deportations that have recently taken place, Uni CR has called on Trinidad and Tobago to continue to respect the international it's international obligations as signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
And in particular the principle of non return known as non Reforma and Article 31 of the convention, which requests signatories not to impose penalties on account of their illegal entry or presence to people who are in need of international protection.
If that helps.
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The, the, The thing is that in the law says that no appeal may be taken from a deportation order in respect of any person who is ordered deported as a member of a prohibited class.
So I mean, the law is that the thing that is, you know, very tricky.
But thank you for for, for saying that.
Thank you, very good.
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You want to add something Ravina, you will have one more question from Emma, but unless you want, do you have something to add on this?
[Other language spoken]
I can, Gabriella, just just to draw your attention as well that today is in fact International Migrants Day and we have put out some statements by the **** Commissioner in a video as well, which might be useful.
And as you know, we did brief on Trinidad and Tobago in Venezuela on Tuesday, and we stressed that the government does need to provide safe and legal pathways for migrants to regularise their status and to avoid the risk of deportation.
Thank you very much, Evina, for that reminder, Emma Farge from Reuters, and then we'll close on this topic.
[Other language spoken]
Just quickly if I may, on Ethiopia, any access, any progress on the access to Tigre or any updates on those negotiations?
And finally, anything that you can tell us about the conditions in which the Eritrean refugees are living there at the moment?
Any updates since we last spoke?
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, Thank you very much.
Emma, in terms of access for ourselves as units here, the UN refugee agency, we still have not been able to reach the Eritrean refugee camps inside the Tigre region.
We are hoping and stand ready to go in as soon as that becomes possible.
The worries remain the same for us in terms of the dire conditions, how refugees and other civilians are inside the Tigre region.
So we are hoping and expecting unhindered and unconditional access to all people who will need humanitarian assistance, including Eritrean refugees.
[Other language spoken]
And just on that, on that issue, Emma, yesterday at the noon briefing in New York, the spokesperson of the Secretary General did remind that the emergency relief coordinator, Mark Lowcock, had announced an allocation of $35 million for water, sanitation, medical supplies and protection for civilians caught up in the conflict in the Tigray region.
Umm, they said that the, of course, our humanitarian colleagues are telling us that thousands of people are reportedly displaced in the regions.
Millions, as you know, are in need of humanitarian assistance.
[Other language spoken]
So these funds will be used to help health facilities produce medicine, gloves, and other supplies to care for the sick and sick and injured.
If you need more, you might want to contact the ENDS or take a look at what OCHA has issued yesterday on the on this on this allocation of funds.
OK, on that.
Thank you very much, Baba, for being with us so long.
And Ravina who have been Shamdasani from the Human Rights office, thank you for your patience and please go ahead with your issue.
Thanks, Rial.
Good morning everyone.
We are deeply troubled by the move by Thai authorities to charge at least 35 protesters in recent weeks, including a 16 year old student, under Article 112, which is the less majesty provision of Thailand's Criminal Code.
The offence carries sentences of between 3 and 15 years imprisonment for defaming, insulting or threatening the country's royal family.
We are particularly alarmed that the 16 year old was yesterday presented by police to the juvenile court with a request for a detention order.
He was granted conditional bail.
The court denied the detention order, but he was granted conditional bail.
A number of UN human rights mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Committee, which overseas implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, have repeatedly called on Thailand to bring this law in line with the country's international obligations.
It is extremely disappointing that after a period of two years without any cases, we're suddenly witnessing a large number of cases and shockingly, now also against a minor.
We also remain concerned that other serious criminal charges are being filed against protesters engaged in peaceful protests in recent months, including charges of sedition and offences under the Computer Crime Act.
Again, such charges have been filed against a minor, among others.
We call on the Government of Thailand to stop the repeated use of such serious criminal charges against individuals for exercising their rights to the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
People should be able to exercise these rights without fear of reprisals.
The UN Human Rights Committee has found that the detention of individuals solely for exercising the right, freedom of expression or other human rights constitutes arbitrary arrest or detention.
We also urge the Government to amend the Les Majesty Law and to bring it into line with Article 19 of the ICCPR, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on the right to freedom of Expression.
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Are there any questions in the room for Ravina?
No, I see one from Nick coming Bruce from the New York Times online.
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I'm just interested in the very large number of cases you seem to be citing previous reporting as talked about charges against 7 or so of the of the leaders.
So I'm just wondering over what period of time this more than 30 charges that you're talking about have been levelled.
Secondly, could you just explain a little bit more how this law violates the ICCPR?
And are you suggesting that the law essentially should be discarded altogether?
Do you want it to completely reform?
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I hope I've got all of them.
On the timing of the charges, so the first person received a summons warrant on the 24th of November on less majesty charges and the first group of activists was summoned on the 30th of November.
Now as you may be aware, these accusations under this charge can be made by any individual against another individual.
It's it's really quite easy to bring a less majesty case against an individual in Thailand.
On how the law falls foul of the ICCPR, International law stipulates that people have the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Now, of course there are permissible restrictions to the freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly, but these are very, very strict in this regard.
For example, in the case of the 16 year old who's been charged with this offence.
Now he participated in a rally and during the rally there was a fashion show to mock the royal family's fashion style and he wore a cropped black singlet with jeans walked on stage mimicking an alleged picture of the king from Germany.
This was free expression.
This was a rally that was organised by the students, you know, as they're as part of the mass protests in Thailand recently.
So to use law which carries a sentence, a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment for this quote unquote offence because not fit in with Thailand's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights with regards to the right to freedom of expression.
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At first, I'd like to know whether the government has answered your call to it.
Is there any communication between your office and the government in regard to your concerns?
And I'm wondering, has there ever been a similar case of charges like this against the minor in Thailand?
I know that the previous ruler, King Emperor was much revered and so I, the personality of the current leader had sorry I'm bad on titles is quite different.
So I'm wondering whether this is a new and troubling development and do these cases go to trial?
And if they do go to trial, are international observers allowed?
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Again, it's a few questions, so I hope I get them all on communication with the government.
Yes, indeed, we do have an office.
Our Southeast Asia regional office is based in Bangkok.
So we're regularly engaging with the government, raising our concerns on the the Less Majesty cases, on the sedition charges and on, you know, the conduct during these assemblies.
And we are continuing to monitor the situation where possible.
We do try to monitor trials as well.
And, you know, the laying of charges and legal proceedings against human rights defenders and protesters.
The last case now in fact 2018 is the last time that the Less Majesty law was used.
I believe it was in March 2018 that the last, the last time that this was invoked and it was very welcome development because various UN human rights mechanisms, including the Human Rights Committee had been calling on the government to suspend the use of this law and to review it's application and, and it's it's content.
However, This is why we are particularly disappointed that this law has been revived after such a long time.
On whether it's been used before against a minor, I'm actually not entirely sure.
The last case that I have in front of me was where in 2017 there was an individual who was actually sentenced to 35 years after he confessed to charges linked with less Majesty.
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And I think we have one last question from Ed Girardet.
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I I just want to check in two things.
One, when you say when your office in Bangkok negotiates or talks with the government, is this done publicly?
Because the during the the recent protests, which have been ongoing obviously for a number of months, there were quite a few calls for the UN campus in Bangkok to speak out and they didn't, it was silent.
Second question is have your concerns been picked up apart from the the Bangkok Post and others by local media, by national media?
Are, you know, are ordinary and particularly young Thais aware of your concerns?
And perhaps thirdly, what sanctions?
I mean, are you going to propose sanctions, you know, against tourism and so on?
So because this is a very serious matter that doesn't just affect young Thais but also the press, any press even mentioning this story is liable to be prosecuted.
Thanks Ed for those questions.
On our discussions with the government, we use many different means to convey our concerns and to kind of analyse whether, you know, the, the whether steps that various governments take are compatible with their obligations under international human rights law.
Now the Thailand has signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
So as I said, they were before the UN Human Rights Committee and the Committee has expressed its concerns on this publicly.
The committee concluding observations and reviews are always public.
We had also reacted, I don't recall now, I believe it was some time, perhaps in mid November.
We had reacted to the protests, to the handling of the protests.
We had expressed concerns about the number of detentions that had taken place and we had called on law enforcement authorities as well to ensure that the protests are managed in line with their obligations under international human rights law.
Whether these concerns are picked up?
Yes, they are.
We have, I mean, for example, the comments that we made back I think in mid November, they were picked up as well by local media, but also by online media and on social media.
Now we do try to disseminate our public advocacy as widely as possible, and we hope that it does reach the people whom it concerns.
Umm, on what we're calling for, you know, in terms of enforcement, umm, of our messages.
These are obligations, as I said, that the government of Thailand has undertaken under international human rights law.
They've ratified treaties which obliged them.
Umm, to respect the provisions of those treaties, including Article 19 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights on freedom of expression.
When there are instances where governments do not respect their obligations, we speak to them.
We advocate, we monitor, we raise the alarm, we speak publicly where it's needed, and really we urge them to follow what they have undertaken to do under these laws.
Beyond that, there's not really a kind of enforcement mechanism that we have.
Thank you very much, Javier.
[Other language spoken]
I think that's all the questions we have for you.
So thank you very much for for breathing this morning and we'll see you again soon I'm sure.
Final item on the agenda.
Paul Dillon from the International Organisation for Migration is here to give us some stats on global migrants debts.
This is not a very happy topic on the International Migration Day, but the Secretary General's message for the day is an important one, I think, and it's been shared.
The Secretary General says that on this International Migrants Day, we reflect on a year in which, because of COVID-19 pandemic, millions upon millions of us have experienced the pain of separation from friends and family, the uncertainty of employment and the need to adapt to a new and unfamiliar reality.
And these are emotions that migrants around the world actually feel every day.
So a very important realisation.
He adds that during this COVID pandemic, migrants have really played an outsized role on the front lines of responding to the crisis, from caring for the sick and elderly to ensuring food supplies during lockdowns, highlighting their broader contributions to societies around the world.
So let's make sure that they remain central to our recovery.
And that message has been shared with you and I'll turn it to Paul.
Well, thank you very much for your all.
I mean, the Secretary General's comments are well noted and included on the media package that we'll be sending out today to mark International Migrants Day.
Indeed, today is International Migrants Day.
We IOM are marking the significant contributions that migrants have made keeping us safe during this pandemic and noting the many challenges they themselves face, including mounting xenophobia, the lack of access to services, increased poverty, arbitrary detention and the phenomena of at least 3 million people stranded and unable to return home.
We also note that despite more than 90,000 COVID-19 related travel and mobility restrictions imposed around the world, 10s of thousands of people in desperate situations continue to embark on dangerous journeys across deserts, jungles and seas, with thousands dying along the way.
As of yesterday, the International Organisation for Migrations Missing Migrants Project has recorded 3174 deaths on migratory routes around the world, compared with 5327 in 2019.
Though the overall number of people known to have lost their lives in 2020 is lower than previous years, some routes saw an increase in fatalities.
Most notably, at least 593 people have died on route to Spain's Canary Islands thus far, compared with 210 recorded in 2019 and 45 in 2018.
An increase in migrants deaths was also recorded in South America compared to previous years, with at least 104 lives lost, most of them Venezuelan migrants, compared to fewer than 40 in all previous years.
This includes at least 23 people who drowned off the coast of Venezuela last weekend.
At least 1773 migrants died within or on route to Europe this year, making up the majority of fatalities recorded worldwide, A trend that's continued since 2014, when the Missing Migrants Project first began collecting this data.
Some 381 men, women and children also lost their lives on the US Mexican border.
Behind each of these numbers, there is a family mourning the loss of a father and a mother, a daughter or a son.
That people are continuing to make these journeys despite the unprecedented nature of the mobility restrictions in place underlines the need for more safe, predictable, and legal migration options.
The decrease in recorded deaths is not necessarily an indication that the number of lives lost truly dropped in 2020, as COVID-19 also challenges our ability to both collate data on deaths during migration and monitor specific migration routes.
Nowhere is this more evident than the phenomena of invisible shipwrecks.
These these are tragedies where evidence exists that a vessel sank, but there's insufficient proof to corroborate the information received from family members or from the NGOs who scrupulously document these cases.
The Missing Migrants Project is aware of at least 14 invisible shipwrecks that claimed at least 600 lives that are not included in this year's report.
Very good, thank you.
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And, and as you said, it's, it's very important to to look at how to make safer passages, much safer migrants.
And that's also something that the secretary general reminds us all to implement the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and reimagine human mobility.
We have a couple of questions from Lisa Schlein to begin with.
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Paul, could, could you be specific about, you say that that we should be marking the significant contributions that migrants have made and keeping us safe during this pandemic?
If you could give some examples of that.
I mean, what we hear mainly is the the troubles, the problems that occur with migrants.
But could you be specific about that, please?
And then, yes, it's a good idea to try to give them more safe and legal routes to migrate.
But there's such hostility against migrants in many parts of the world.
How do you persuade governments that this is what should be done?
I mean, ultimately, that's what you have to do, right?
And also to protect them against the smugglers and traffickers that are there to take advantage of them.
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Thanks very much, Lisa.
I think that over the last nine months we've seen the way that the drive and the entrepreneurialism and the motivation of migrants has contributed to keeping broader population safe.
And I'm not referring specifically to Europe and North America, but indeed globally.
What we see everyday are the images of of doctors and nurses and support staff in healthcare facilities and old age homes, many of whom are migrant workers contributing to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saving lives, putting in the long arduous hours on behalf of those who've who who are stricken with the virus.
There are multiple sectors where migrants contributions are are noteworthy in the services, in agriculture, in Agri business as well as transportation.
These are three sectors where the preponderance indeed many of the of my of the migrants workers are found.
Again, making sure that the food arrives on our tables, that when you pick up the phone and call Uber food, that your meal arrives on time, that when you go to the grocery store, the shelves are stocked, that cars are available to bring you from point A to point B.
These are significant contributions, well documented.
The second part of your question is what can we do to, to convince governments or to change the narrative?
Well, I'm, I'm very happy to be able to announce today 2 initiatives that we believe is going to move the needle on the conversation about migration generally with the general public and with governments.
On International Migrants Day, we're announcing the launch of the Global Migration Media Academy in five countries.
This Academy will provide resources, training and expert analysis to journalism students in five countries, the people who will be the influencers of the future, to educate them about the nuances in a fair and balanced manner that takes into account the many variables surrounding the global phenomenon of migration.
I can also tell you that IOM has lended its support to a new campaign called It Takes a Community.
This is a worldwide social media campaign that is designed specifically to document and highlight the important contributions that migrants are making to our daily lives.
The support that they are providing, both of these initiatives have been launched today and that's good news.
We have another question from Emma Farge, Reuters.
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The 1773 who died on route to Europe is that both routes so the Mediterranean and the West African one and what was the year on year change?
And and I just have a follow up on invisible shipwrecks after you've tackled the first, please.
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Indeed, the that figure that you cited is represents all movements into Europe.
The year to year change, I believe was included in the press note.
If you're OK, I'll get back to you and just double check those figures.
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And apologies if I missed that.
The follow up on invisible shipwrecks.
Can you do you know if that's more invisible shipwrecks than you believed to have occurred in the past?
And, and can you comment on what may have caused them?
I, I, I'm kind of bearing in mind allegations made by some NGOs that the fact that the Italian government had compounded their vessel may have hindered their ability to conduct patrols in the Mediterranean.
Has that been a contributing factor?
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I I think there it's safe to say that the very phenomena itself defies true quantification.
We're talking about vessels that have reportedly sunk where we have anecdotal evidence supporting the notion that that a vessel has gone down and the lives have been lost.
But again, we don't have the strong evidence, the the emphatic evidence that we need to be able to say with 100% certainty that that event occurred.
Now I think what the phenomena particularly on on on the Mediterranean underlines as we have said repeatedly in the past for the need for rigorous state LED search and rescue capacities to ensure that vessels in distress that someone is there to respond to them.
Whether it's state LED efforts or those of of merchant vessels that are in the area, there is an incumbent upon for vessels to respond to these kinds of cases.
In the case of these of these invisible shipwrecks, in many cases no distress call was received.
There are gaps, serious life threatening gaps in the monitoring of these routes.
And This is why we've called repeatedly for for re examination of the of the situation, the movements across the Mediterranean and an investment in these state LED search and rescue capacities.
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We have one last question from Lisa and then we'll close on that.
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I just wanted to make sure in in regard to the crossing in the Mediterranean is it May well, is it mainly African migrants that are involved who who are the people that are most at risk in regard to this situation and in general around the world?
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I think what we're seeing is very much a mixed, a mixed flow.
People are coming from from from Asia.
There are significant parts of the caseload as you suggest from from Saharan and sub-saharan Africa's.
So it's very much a mixed group of people who are making those journeys.
Last I read, I believe we recovering off 2222 or 23 different nationalities over the course of the year.
But I'd be more than happy to get back to you with some specifics on on those figures.
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I think that's it for questions for you, Paul.
Thank you so much for being with us this morning and a happy International Migrants Day.
Another day that we are celebrating today is Arabic Language Day.
So I hope that everyone who speaks Arabic or understands it uses this day to to read a good book, a good poem and promote the language.
I unfortunately don't speak it, but I love the sound of it.
So I will try to listen to something in Arabic today.
That's it for the briefing today.
I wish you a wonderful Friday and a wonderful weekend.
And we'll see you next Tuesday for the last Unis briefing of the year.
And Alessandra Delucci will be back for that on Tuesday.
Thank you very much everyone.